Electrode holder



Oct. 27,4 1942.`

ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed Febl 27, 1941 I INVENTOR. Honel @Jackson Qttorneys Y B h., Nv. N a IT w A IT n Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRDDE HOLDER Honel A. Jackson, Detroit, Mich.

Application February 27, 1941, Serial No. 380,903

Claims.

ThisV invention relates to electrode holders and particularly to improvements in the type of electrode holders described and claimed in United States Patent of Henry J. Wagner, No. 2,179,440.

An important object of lthis invention is to provide an improved electrode holder formed out of parts which are easily and inexpensively manufactured and assembled, and which form rugged holder capable of withstanding hard usage and abuse. Another important object ofthis invention is to provide improvement in the construction of the jaw members which expedite their assembly, strengthen the grip on the electrode, and increase the life of the holder.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of cast metal jaw members 'provided with integrally formed portions which cooperate with one another so as to mount one member for rocking movement with respect to the other member and to receive novel electrode gripping surfaces on the projecting ends thereof. Another important feature of the invention is the provision-'of novel resilient means in the form of a spring metal blade so shaped that the life thereof is increased very much beyond the spring member described in the aforesaid patent. The new spring blade is arranged in a novel formation so that both ends serve to impress a yielding pres? sure tending to close the jaws.

Various other objects, advantages and meritorious features of this `invention will become more fully apparent from the following specification, appended claims and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved electrode holder,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view through the holder, a

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views through the holder along lines 3 3, 4-4 and 5 5, respectively on Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view form of spring blade member.

The general arrangement of the parts is described in the aforesaid patent. Briefly, the electrode holder comprises an elongated case II) of insulating material. The case is preferably in the form of an open ended sleeve. Projecting from one end of the case are two members I2 and I4 arranged side by side in parallel relation. About half the length of each member extends inside the case as shown in Fig. 2.-' The opposite end of the case receives a cable I 6 which delivers electrical current from a source of electricity.

An important feature of the invention is the fact that the two members 'or blades I2 and I4 are cast in the form shown. These members are preferably formed of a metal alloy which is relatively highly electrically conductive. In order to perform the casting operation and expedite the of my improved 1 assembly operation, I have shaped the members I2 and I4 in a particularly desirable way. The members are cast in a general channel formation as indicated in the section views Figs. 3 lto 5 inclusive. The outside ends of both members are provided with an aperture for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The inside end of member I4 is shaped in the form of a sleeve I8 provided with a tapering bore which is adapted to receive the open end of cable I6 as shown. About mid- Way between its end, member I4 is formed in the casting operation with two arm-like portions 20-20 (Fig. 4) which project above the side sections of the channel and are spaced apart a distance equal to the width of member I2. These arm portions 20-20 are formed with outer cir- ,cular faces which are adapted to be snugly re- These apertures extend from the outside to the y inside faces of the respective members. Mounted within the channels are cast metal jaw elements 28 and 30. The opposed faces of these jaw elements are lined with grooves improving the gripping action thereof. The side sections of the channel are preferably cut away slightly on the `end of the members I2 and I I in order that the gripping faces of the iaw elements may extend the full width of the members. The jaw elements are, as previously mentioned, cast metal parts. They preferably are formed on an alloy especially resistant to heat yet highly conductive of electrical current. Cast integrally on the back side of each jaw element is a stud pin 32 which is ofV a size to tightly fit within the apertures in the end of the members I2 and I4,'and when fully inserted thereinto these pins project slightly beyond the outside surface of the members. Thus, in the assembly operation the jaw elements are easily positioned in place with the stud pins projecting through the holes to the outside of the members, and a few quick blows by a hammer or other tool is all that is necessary to peen over the projecting end of the stud pins tolsecure the jaw elements securely in place on the end of the jaw members in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

Extending over thevexposed portions of the jaw members I2 and I4 are insulating protecting shields of the character described and claimed in my Patent No. 2,003,196. These shields, in-

and the ends brought close together.

dicated at 34, are channel-shaped as shown in Fig. 3 to partially embrace the jaw members, although it is not absolutely essential that they be channel shaped. Screws 36 removably secure these shields in place.

In the assembly operation the two jaw members are disposed side by side with their channels facing toward one another. In this position the protuberance formed by the bend 22 iorms a, iulcrum about which member l2 may rock. When properly assembled, the fulcrum point is located between the cast arm portions 20-20, the latter holdingA member i2 against lateral displacement relative to the jaw member il. After the parts have been assembled to this extent, a pin 38 is provided which bridges the ends of the arm portion 2li-20 and extends transversely to the. jaw members through the notch above the bendl 22. This pin functions to hold the member i2 against longitudinal displacement relative to the member il. The rounded character of the pin 38 permits the jaw member I2 to rock on its fulcrum relative to the other member. Y

In the aforesaid Wagner patent a U-shaped spring metal blade is used to exert pressure bringing the. electrode gripping vparts together. Although this type of spring blade shown in the Wagner patent is satisfactory for general use, it tended to give way and break after considerable use. This is especially true at the bend. I have found that a stronger gripping force can be obtained and longer liie insured by forming the spring metal blade in a novel formation. Instead of one bend, I have doubly bent the blade and brought the two ends into juxtaposition so that both ends act to-exert a yielding force on the jaw members. Fig. 6 shows the-novel formation. The spring metal blade is generally indicated at 4B. It is doubly bent at I2 and M Preferably the blade is bent so that the ends overlap as shown in Fig. 2. Thus the end section toward the jaw members is assisted by the other end in yieldingly Amaintaining the grip of the jaw members. When the end section of the blade toward the front end of the holder is compressed by depression of the handle 26, the inside end section is likewise compressed, and both-together "function to resist opening movement of the jaw members.

The cable is preferably connected to the xed Jaw member I4 by bending the strands of the cable wire about an enlarged conical shaped head carried on the end of a bolt 48. The

wire strands are bent over the enlarged head IS and Joined tightly together by wires 50 around a reduced portion adjacent tothe head. The head 4I with the cable attached is drawn into the taping bore of the sleeve Il and into close engagement with th'e walls thereof by a nut I24 threaded on the end of the bolt.

WhatIclaimis:

i. im electrode hold-erl of the class described including an elongated case of insulating m'aterial having one end opened, a pair of cast metal across said slot and connected to said cast metal portions, said pin engaging the jaw member received in said slot and acting to hold the two jaw members together while permitting pivotal movement of one with respect to the other.

2. An electrode holder of the class described including a hollow cylindrical case of insulating material having one opened end, a pair of cast metal jaw members each extending partially into the case through the opened end thereof, both of said members being cast in channel formation and arranged in the case with the channels facing toward one another, one of said members being cast at an intermediate part with a transverse notch on `the side opposite the channel and la protuberance on the channel side which is adapted to bear against the other member to form a iulcrum about winch it may rock, said other member being provided with a part cast integrally therewith which is circularly formed to snugly iit within the case and extends partially around the other member opposite the notch and protuberance of the latter, and a separate element extending transversely to the members through said notch and connected to said circular part to hold the notched member to the other member while permitting rocking movement of the former relative to the latter.

3. An electrode holder of the class described including an 'elongated case of insulating material having one end opened, a pairof cast metal jaw members extending into the case through the opened end thereof, one of said members being cast with a protuberance on one side and a notch on the other side, the other member being cast with spaced arm portions which are shaped to snugly ilt the interior of Jaw members extending'partially into-the case through the opened end thereof, one of said members having'onthat section inside the case a portion cast integral' therewith which is of general circular coniiguration having a vdiameter' which causes it to snugly nt Vwithin the case,

said cast-metal portion being openerironone side arlongitudinal slot adapted to "receive l the other iewmember, and e pin extending seid cale with a protuberance on one side which the case, said jaw members arranged in parallel arrangement with the side of \the one'carrying the protuberance bearing against 4the other member so that the protuberance'gforms a fulcrum point for rocking of the former about the latter member, said arm portions partially embracing vthe notched member to hold the two against lateral displacementrrelative to one another, and

means connected to the ends of said arm portions and extending across through the said notch 'acting to hold the members against longitudinal displacement relative to one another while permitting rocking movement of one with respect to the other.

4. An electrode holder of the class described including an elongated case of insulating material having anopened end, a pair of jaw members arranged side by side and extending partially into the opened end r`of said case, one of said members provided on the part inside said case with a protuberance von one side which bears against the other member to form a lfulcrum about which the former may rock and also pro- .vided with a notch on the opposite side thereof in line with the fulcrum, said other member provided with a pair of arms partially embracing .material having an opened end, a pair of jaw 4members arranged side-by-side and extending partially into the opened end of said case, one of said members provided on that part inside bears against the other member to form a fulcrum about which the former may rock and\ further provided with a notch on the side opthe case and extending past the sides of the first,

described member in line with the fulcrum and the notch thereof, an element bridging the dis-v tance vbetween the ends of said arms and extending through said notch, said case provided with an aperture thereof opposite the inner end section of the jaw member carrying the protuberance and the notch, a hand engaging part extending through said aperture and fixed to the inner end section of said last mentioned jaw member, and a spring means between the inner end sections of said jaw members yieldingly spacing the same apart.

6. An electrode holder comprising, in combination,` a p'air of members assembled together in generally parallel side by side relation and provided on vone of their ends with jaws for gripping an electrode therebetween, said members being channel shaped in cross section throughout the major portions of their lengths and arranged with the channels thereof facing toward one another and the side Walls of the channels in line with one another, a hollow open ended substantially cylindrical case of insulating material enclosing the end sections of said members opposite the jaws, one of said members provided inside the case intermediate its length with a U- shaped bend projecting toward the other member and forming a saddle-like depression on the opposite side thereof, the side walls forming the channel at said U-shaped bend bearing on the side walls of the channel of the other member and by virtue of the U-shape of said bend forming a rocking fulcrurmsaid other member p-rovided inside the case opposite said U-shaped bend with opposite side portions which project around the opposite sides of said U-shaped bendV to points vin line `with one another above said vsaddle-like depression, a pin extending across said saddle-like depression and connected to said 'l side portions to thereby hold the members against longitudinal displacement with respect to' one another but permitting rockingl of `one with respect to the other, and spring means inside said case between said members yieldingly urging the inside sections of the members away from one l another.

7. The invention described in claim 6 characterized by the fact that said spring means comprises a spring metal blade doubly bent upon itself in such a manner that the ends overlap upon. one another and both ends act to exert a force urging the sections of said members inside the case away from one another.

8.*An electrode holder comprising, in combination, a hollow open ended cylindrical case of insulating material having a circular interior wall and an opening throughthe side of the case 'intermediate its ends, a pair of-members having opposed jaw' shaped ends for gripping' an electrode assembled side by side and mounted with the opposite ends extending -into said case at least as far as said opening therethrough, said throughout the major portion of'their lengths and arranged with the channels thereoffacing toward one another and the side walls of the channels in line with one another, a handle fixed to the inside end of one of said members and projecting through said opening to the exterior of the case, said member having the handle provided inside the case intermediate its ends with va U-shaped bend projecting toward the other member and forming a saddle-like depression on the side opposite to the bend, the side walls of the channel at said U-shaped bend bearing on the side walls of the channel of the other member and by virtue of the U-shape of said bend forming a rounded fulcrum, said other member provided with opposite side portions snugly fitting the inside circular wall of the case and extending past the opposite-sides of said U- shaped bend to points in line with one another above said saddle-like depression, a pin extending across said saddle-like depression and connected to said side portions to thereby hold said members against longitudinal displacement with respect to one another but permitting rocking movement of the member having said U-shaped bend upon the other member, and a spring between the members inside the case yieldingly urging the inside sections of the members away from one another.

9. An electrode holder comprising, in combination, a hollow opened ended substantially cylindrical case of insulating material, a pair of members assembled together in generally parallel side by side relation and provided on one of their ends with opposed jaws for gripping an electrode therebetween, said members mounted with their opposite ends extending into said case, one of said members having side portions formed integrally therewith which snugly fit the inside dimension of the case adjacent the end of the case from which said members project and exp tending past opposite sides of the other member, said side portions having inside parallel l' walls spaced apart a distance equal to the width l of the said other member and acting to hold the latter against sidewise lateral displacement, A `and a pin extending from one side portion to the other and'through the plane of the said other member acting to Ahold the same from longitudinal and vertical displacement While permitting rocking movement Vof one member with respect to the other.

10. An electrode holder including, in combination, an elongated case of insulating material, a pair of members assembled together in generally parallel side-by-side relation and provided on one of their ends with opposed jaws for gripping an electrode therebetween, said members having their opposite ends extending into one end of said case, one of said members having l integrally formed side portions inside said case .members being channel-shaped in cross section intermediate its ends whichextend past opposite sides of the other member, said side portions having inside parallel walls forming a longitudinal slot of substantially the width of the said other member and in which the latter lies and is -held from sidewise lateral displacement relative to the first described member, and an element bridging said slot from one side portion to the other side portion and acting to hold the said other member from longitudinal and vertical movement relative to the first de- A scribed member while permitting rocking mo'vement of one member with respect to the other.

, HONEL A-JACKSON' 

